Cabinet approves cuts and highest possible tax rise

20 hours ago

Josh Sandiford,West Midlandsand

Rachel Alexander,Local Democracy Reporter

Council tax payers in Walsall can expect their bills to rise

Getty Images An image of Walsall on a sunny day. We can see a war monument on a roundabout and a number of buses at a nearby bus stop. There are trees and there are not many people about. There are a few cars going around the roundabout. — Council tax payers in Walsall can expect their bills to rise

Walsall Council looks set to hike parking charges, cut art gallery hours and review leisure centres to balance its books.

Cabinet members have backed £32.83m in cuts as part of the local authority's 2026-27 budget, as well as a 4.99% council tax increase. That will now go before full council on 26 February.

The rise is the maximum allowed without a referendum and includes a 2% precept ring-fenced for adult social care.

It means that for a Band D property, council tax will increase from £2,498.27 to £2,627.48 per year. The council says this equates to about an extra £2 per week.

Council tax has been raised by struggling councils across the West Midlands in recent years, including in Birmingham. Walsall residents already pay the highest council tax of the four Black Country local authorities.

There will be increases of about £25m each for adult social care and children's services budgets.

Together, these services account for nearly a third of the council's £864m total spend.

Councillor Mike Bird says it is a budget to be proud of

Walsall Council A man wearing a blue shirt and a green tie. He sits at a brown table and there is a bookcase in the background. He is smiling and looking to his left. — Councillor Mike Bird says it is a budget to be proud of

Among the savings measures are a review of home-to-school transport, reduced opening hours at Walsall New Art Gallery by three hours a week, and a 20% increase to parking charges.

The council also plans around £237m in capital investment for long-term projects across the borough before 2029-30.

The council still faces a projected budget shortfall of about £50m in the coming years, even with annual increases of 4.99%.

But Conservative council leader Mike Bird said he was proud of the budget he had presented to the council.

'Ongoing pressure'

Bird said: "Our financial standing continues to compare favourably with similar local authorities both regionally and nationally.

"Demand for many of our services continues to rise, particularly within adult social care and children's services, which places significant and ongoing pressure on our finances.

"This budget sets out a balanced and sustainable approach that addresses immediate challenges while maintaining the flexibility needed to respond to future uncertainties."

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